Tartan themed designs will be the focus of a unique free exhibition created by Forth Valley College students at the Gallery at Tolbooth in Stirling throughout the month of April (Friday 1-Saturday 30 April, Tuesday-Saturday from 10-5pm).
A total of nine HND Art and Design first and second year students have created work for ‘Tartan – An Exhibition’ which will look at Tartan from different perspectives and its contemporary use in modern day Scotland. The work will be shown digitally and through imagery. The Tolbooth will also screen a documentary created by the Costume Institute of the African Diaspora – Tartan: Its Journey through the African Diaspora.
Stirling Council originally offered the brief to the students - who study a variety of subjects within their course including Textiles, Mixed Media, Wearable Artform, Printmaking and Illustration – and asked them to research the use of Tartan within contemporary contexts, particularly focussing on the work of designers such as Vivien Westwood and Alexander McQueen.
Students were encouraged to have an individual response to the brief and some students also used historical references to create contemporary designs. The Council have also asked the students to design an outfit that a young contemporary Scottish Actor could wear to a high profile awards ceremony in 2022. The designs will also feature at a second event called Tartanfest which is set to be staged in August and September this year.
The event is being run by a range of local partners including The Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum, Coorie Creative, and Bannockburn House, making reference to Wilson’s of Bannockburn who were the principal Tartan designers and manufacturers in the world. Wilson’s of Bannockburn were previous owners of Bannockburn House.
Linda Paterson, Curriculum Manager in FVC’s Department of Creative Industries, said: “We were delighted to take part in this exhibition and while it’s been another very difficult year for our students, they worked hard to produce work for the exhibition. It’s been a good experience for them to have to work within a timeline and meet the deadlines that were set.”
Dr Mairi Breslin, Director, Coorie Creative Makers Ltd, said: “The designs will also feature at the inaugural Tartanfest event which is set to be staged in August and September this year, co-ordinated by local charities Coorie Creative and Bannockburn House, and supported by Stirling Council.
“Coorie Creative are a not-for-profit yarn shop in the Thistles shopping centre, offering workshops in weaving, spinning, knitting and crochet and will be co-ordinating a range of tartan focussed events throughout August. Register to hear about these at our website ”.
Stirling Council is marking a number of anniversaries in 2022 – 20 years of The Tolbooth, 20 years of Stirling City Status and 200 years since the resurgence of Tartan.
To find out more visit https://stirlingevents.org/tolbooth-event/tartan-an-exhibition/
